Automatic skip-loading gate



Oct. 20, 1925. 1,558,121

G. N. SIMPSON AUTOMATIC SKIP LOADING GATE Filed June 25. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 O7: 7 G 07" emirz 5076 I/ 6 i I X j; M77? Oct. 20 1925. 1,558,121

G. N. SIMPSON AUTOMATIC SKIP LOADING GATE Filed June 25. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fizveWZz 121752 6002;

Patented Get. 246, 1925.

UNXTED EE TATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE N. SEMPSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Application filed. June 25, 192 1.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that Z, G'FOBGE N. SiMsoN, a citizen of the t ni 'ed States, residing at 226 East i'ith Street, Chicago, in the county oi Cook and E-Eitate of illinois, have invent-- ed a new and useful improvement in Auto- :ikip-Loading Gates, oi which the A is a specification.

iis invention relates to improvements in sirip loading gates; and is here. shown as pecially adapted tor controlling the iiow material such as coai from a hopper r n into a skip.

Among the "features of i invention is "the provision of a gate which is locked in the closed position by hooks which are anton it'cali izniocked ii on the skip comes down the she thus pern'iitting the gate to roll up the side of the skip and over the top pe l'nitting material to flow from the hopper or bin into the skip with practically no spiila 'e. My improved gate is strong and rugg d and cheap to construct. its operation is simple and sure. Other features and advantages of my invention will appear more fully as 1 proceed with my spec iication.

1.1 o h the invention is here shown as cinboo i. in a device adapted for use in connection with a vcrtical mo "able skip, it is obvious that the same invention may be embodied in devices oi different forms, for example, the same gate may be used for filling a skip operating in an inclined shaft. i that form oi? device embodying the .1 tin-cs of my invent on shown in the accompmiying drawing e 1 is a view in side elevation of the .ioaoing gate showing also the si p or bnci-;ct, Fig. 2 is view taken as ii'idicated by the line 2 of Fig. l, and Figs. 3, 1 and are views similar to Fig. 1 showing the parts in altered positions.

is shown in the drawings, indicates a w'i'ticiiily inc-viable slop or bucket adapted to operat in the shaft 1 and guided by the esiiai ides 1' 1?) indicates a hopper, bin, or siiitaole cont; my in which is placed. in any suitable manner, it piantity of mate 'al as, for example. coal, sufficientto fill the ship 10 or give it one load. i. have not shown any means for placing in the hopper 13 the ch. ge of material, as such means forms no part of the present invention. lit is to be understood, however. that there pia-ced in the hopper 13. in

{ AUTGMATIC SKIP-LOADING GATE.

Serial No. 722,291.

lion as shown in Fig. 1). open position, the gate 16, as shown in. Fi is down so that the month of the bin 1:) is uncovered, and the gate also extends from the lower part of tie mouth 15 on an incline over the top ot' the skip, thus acting as a chute to conve the material from the math or" the bin and direct the same into t :5 T he gate 16 is also provided with sides 18 to assist in preventing spillage of material it flows from the bin into the skip.

i will now describe the means for auto- .matically opening. closing, locking and unlocking the gate.

Near the top of the mouth 15 are rotatably mounted two short shafts 19. Each oi these shafts, at its inner end, carries a short arm 20 providedwith a hook 21 adapted to engage a projection 22 on the end of the gate when it is in its closed position. Each of? the shafts 19 is also provided with. a longer arm 23 having at its end a roiler adapted to be engaged by the bent angle iron strip or cam 25 on the skip. The angularity of the arms 23 and 20 is so arranged, and the parts are so proiiortioned. that engagement of the roller 2% with the strip 25 on the skip serves to raise or lower the arm 20 and lock or unlock the hook 21 from the projection The strip or com surface is sobent that when the skip is up above the roller 9% as shown in Fig. 1, the hook 21 will be in engagement with the pa t 22 and the gate locked in its closed position. It is to he understood that the two hooks 91 one on each side of the ga e ope ate in the same manner, and consequently I am describing in detail but one. As the skip descends. the strip 25 engages the roller 2%, thus moving it to the right (as viewed in Figs. 1, 3, i and 5). This movement rocks the shaft 19 in a counter clockwise direction viewed in the same figures, thus raising the hook 21 and run lo king it from the projection 22. ll hen the hooks ii are thus unlocked, the gate, by gravity. andv under pressure of material behind it. free to swing down into its open position except as such opening is Pl(3\'(l1i9( by means to be hereinafter described.

The gate 16 is also provided with a pair of antifriction rollers 26 adapted to engage the rails 27 on the front of the ship 10. These rails, at their lower ends, are slanting, as indicated by 27. It is to be noted that as the skip descends, the lower ends of the rails 27 engage the rollers 2o before the rollers 24 are engaged by the angle irons The rails 27 are slanted forwardly a sufficient amount so that their engagement, at their lower ends, as indicated by 27, with the rollers 26, serves to press the upper end of the gate 16 a slight distance back or i against the pressure of the material benind it. This movement of the gate removes all pressure between the projections 22 and the hooks 21. This feature is very important. because by thus removing the strain on the hooks 21, their unlocking. by engagement of the rollers 2st with the irons is very much facilitated. Further descent of the skip 1O finally brings the strips 25 into engagen'ient with the rollers 24. thus raising the hooks 21 as above described. The skip is shown in this position in Fig. 3, where it is to be noted that the gate has been pressed back by contact of the rollers 26 with the rails 27, and the hooks 21 have also been raised to their unlocked position.

Upon further descent of the skip it). the rollers 26 roll up on top of the skip and the gate is allowed to swing down into its open position as shown in Fig. The ofiset. part 25 of the angle irons is of sutiicient length to engage the rollers and hold the hooks 2i raised long enough for the projections 22 on the upper end of the gate to swing out and clear the hooks so that the gate, upon further descent of the ship, is permitted to swing down into its open position.

la the upward movement of the skip, the operations ari reversed. That is. the contact of the upper edge 27" of the skip, against the rollers so. se ves to raise the gate. Further upward movement of the skip, causes the rollers 2(3- to roll over the rails thus forcing the gate back into its closed position. and slightly bwond so that as the he fall, they will clear the projections ther upward movement the skip then permits the rol ers 24: to move down on the slanting part c; the angle irons so that the hooks 21 dr p into their loci-zed position. Further upward movement cf'the skip finally releases the rollers from the rails 27, whereupon the upper end of the gate moves outwardly s ight distance until the projections 22 engage the hooks 21. The gate is then held by the hooks 21 in its closed position.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope. of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent in my invention as broadly as possible in view of the prior art.

The space above the gate '16 is closed by a plate 30 fastened at thetop of the discharge opening 15. It. is to benoted that the gate 16 is pivoted at 17 on a hollow shaft 17 extending entirely across the width of the discharge opening 15 and having its ends supported in the bearings 31. The. hollow shaft 17 is a short distance abore he bottom 16 of the gate. At the bottom of the discharge opening 15 is arranged a chute 32 on a downward slant having its forward end 32 terminating Jlush with the hollow shaft 1?. lilounted on the bottom us of the gate 16 just below the hollow shaft 1'? is an angle iron having one of its flanges 33 acting as a filler plate to iill up the space between the bottom 16 of the gate and the hollow shaft 17. It will be seen that by means of this construction, when the. gate is pivoted, the filler plate 33 will swing about the hollow shaft 17 thus at all times filling up the space between the bottom plate 16 and the hollow shaft 17. The end of the chute 32 terminating flush with the hollow shaft 17 prevents the es "ape of material between the shaft and the end of this chute. By means of this construction. the hinge is dust-tight and still cannot be caused to bind or jam by any accumulation of fine material around the hinge. Fine coal dust, rock, slate, and other similar materials and also sticky material can be handled in a device of this kind with such a hinge without any injury to the hinge and without any jamming or binding of the same.

hat I claim as new. and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

i. In apparatus of the character set forth: the combination of a skip: a hopper pro- Yided with a discha eje opening located adjacent to the path 0r moven'ient of the skip; a gate pivoted at the lower edge of the discharge opening. said gate projecting beyond the front wall of the hopper when in its lowered or open position and adapted to be raised to a position closing said discharge opening; means for locking the gate in its closed position: and means whereby downward movement of the skip across the opening operates first to press the gate ack out of contact with the locking n'icchanism,

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view

then unlock the locking mechanism and then permit the gate to, swing outwardly and downwardly to open position.

In apparatus of the character set forth; the combination of a skip; a hopper provided with a discharge opening located adjacent to the path of movement of the skip; a gate pivoted at the lower edge of the dis charge opening, said gate projecting beyond the front wall of the hopper when in its lowered or open position and adapted to be raised to a position closing said discharge opening; a looking hook adapted to engage a part on the gate to hold the same in closed position; a part on the gate adapted to be engaged by a part on the skip in its downward movement to more said gate to cause the part on the gate in engagement with the locking hook to be moved back away therefrom; and means whereby downward moven'ient of said skip is adapted to raise said locking hook to unlocked position, said means arrai'iged to operate only when said gate is held back so that said locking hook is out of engagement with the part on the gate.

3. In apparatus of the character set forth; the combination of aiskip; a hopper provided with a discharge opening located adjacent to the path of movement of the skip; a gate pivoted at the lower edge of the discharge. openin said gate projecting beyond the front wall of the hopper when in its lowered or open position and adapted to be raised to a position closing said discharge opening: a locking hook on a pivoted shaft adapted to engage a part on the gate to hold the same in closed position; an arm on the shaft carrying the locking hook having a roller on its end adapted to be engaged by a cam surface on the skip whereby downward movement of the skip is adapted to rock said shaft to move said locking hook to unlocked position; and a roller on the gate adapted to be engaged by a rail on the skip whereby downward movement of the skip operates to move the upper end of the gate back to move the part thereon in engagement with the locking hook back away from said locking hook and out of contact therewith.

4-. In apparatus of the character set forth; the combination of a skip; a hopper provided with a discharge opening located adj acent to the path of movement of the skip; a gate pivoted at the lower edge of the discharge opening, said gate projecting beyond the front wall of the hopper when in its lowered or open position and adapted to be raised to a position closing said discharge opening; a locking hook on a pivoted shaft adapted to engage a part on the gate to hold the same in closed position; an arm on the shaft carrying the locking hook having a roller on its end adapted to be engaged by a cam surface on the skip whereby downward movement of the skip is adapted to rock said shaft to more said locking hook to unlocked position; and a roller on the gate adapted to be engaged by a rail on the skip whereby downward movement of the skip operates to move the upper end of the gate back to move the part thereon in engagement with the locking hook back away from said locking hook and out of contact therewith said rail and cam surface being so arranged that in the downward movement of the skip the gate is first pressed back and the locking hook then raised.

5. In apparatus of the character set forth: the combination of a load receiving receptacle; a load discharging receptacle pro vided with a discharge opening; a gate pivoted at the lower edge of the discharge opening, said gate projecting beyond the front wall of the receptacle when in its lowered or open position and adapted to be raised to a position closing said discharge opening; means for locking the gate in its closed position; and means whereby relative downward movement of the load receiving receptacle with respect to the discharge opening operates first to press the gateback out of contact with the locking mechanism, then unlock the locking mechanism and then permit the gate to swing outwardly and downwardly to open position.

6. In apparatus of the character set forth; the combination of a load receiving receptacle; a load discharging receptacle provided with a discharge opening; a gate pivot ed at the lower edge of the discharge opening, said gate projecting beyond the front wall of the'receptacle when in its lowered or open position and adapted to be raised to a position closing said discharge opening; a locking hook adapted to engage a part on the gate to hold the same in closed position; a part on the gate adapted to be engaged by a part on the load receiving receptacle in relative downward movement of said load receiving receptacle to move said gate to cause the part on the gate in engagement with. the locking hook to be moved back away therefrom; and means whereby relative downward movement of said load receiving receptacle is adapted to raise said locking hook to unlocked position, said means arranged to operate only when said gate is held back so that said looking hook is out of engagement with the part on the gate.

7. In apparatus of the character set forth the combination of a load receiving receptacle; a load discharging receptacle provided with a discharge opening; a gate pivoted at the lower edge of the discharge opening, said gate projecting beyond the front wall of the receptacle when in its lowered or open position and adapted to be raised to a position closing said dischar -c opening; a locking hook on a pivoted shait adapted to engage a part on the gate hold the same in closed position; an are the shaft or rrying the l( citing hook havii a roller on its end ada ted to he eng by a cam surface on the ioad receiving r-. ceptacle whereby relative downward moat-,- ment of the load receivin receptacie is adapted to rock said sh more so" looking hook to nnio "ed position; a;- roller on the gate adapted n be engag a rail on the load receptac e whereby relative downward movement of recesaid load receiving receptacle operates to n v J t a. v '1 1' .,c more toe npper enn oi the gate bath LU move the part thereon in eng zgeinent with the lochn hool; back a 1 said loci;- ing hook and out ot contact there ith,

Buster not load the combination of ceptaele: a load disc vided vith a dis oted at openinn: I front wall of the lowered or o be raised to a 75, charge opening; a oted shaft adapted to the gate to hoid the ran arm on the she hook having a roller on ts end a" i to be engaged bv a c. surface on me Jcad receiving receptacle rfnereb reiatir'e downward movement of the load receiving receptacle is adapted to reel: shait to move said loc hook to ed posi tion; and a roil i on the be engaged by a raii on t receptacle whereby re? movement oi the lor receivi: operates to move the upper end hacl: to move the p i thereon ment with the lockiig hook bacl; t said locking hoea 1d out of cont-act therewith, said rail and com surface being so ar ranged that in the relative downward move ment 01" the load receiving receptacic the gate is first pressed back and the locking hook then raised.

9. A hopper vith a discharge opening; a gate pivoted at the lower edge of the discharge opening, said gate pri'ijecting beyond the tront wail oi the hopper when in its lowered or open position and adapted to be raised to a p )SltiOii closing said dis charge opening paid gate having a bottom Wit l plate and being pivoted on a transverse shait arranged a short distance ironi said in plate; a chute discharge openi; Bower edge oi' gate projecting i the hopper when in or open position and adapted to owcrsii raised to a position closing said disc arge open n; a d a bottom transrers 1 piates and lyin bottom to having side piates to and being pivoted on a ending through the side short distance from the si-id gate; a chute at the we discharge opening terminating flush with said shaft; and a tiiier plate :ntached to the bottom plate of the gate and iilling the space between the bottom plate oif "ate and said shaft.

31. hopper with a discharge opening: a gate pivoted at the iover edge of the discha opening said gate projecting beyond ti e front wail. of the hopper when in its lowered or open position and adapted to .ie r ised to a position closing said discharge opening, sai 'i gate ha 'ing a bottom plate and being piroted on a transverse shaft arranged a short distance from said bottom plate; a chute at the bottom of the discharge opening terminating flush with said shaft; a id a liller plate attached to the gate and filling the space between the bottom plate ot the gate and said shaft.

12. A hopper with a discharge opening; a gate pivoted at the lower edge of the discharge opening said gate projecting beyond the front wall of the hopper when in its lowered or open position and adapted to be raised to a position closing said discharge openin sait gate having side plates and a :37 bottom plate and belng pivoted on a rans- Xtendmg through the side verse shaft plates and lying a short distance from the bottom plate oi said gate; a chute at the bottom 01 the discharge opening terminating flush with said shaft: and a filler plate attached to the gate and filling the space between the bottom plate of the gate and said shaft.

\Vitness my hand and seal this-23 day of enonon N. SIMPSON. Ls 

